The art of Wushu
by Blazeraptor54
Summary: "I'll never give up, I'll keep trying! I'll keep fighting! Graaah!" A blonde haired child launched a fist at an elderly man, who easily blocked the sloppy punch. Near them was a rusted kunai, just prior to this fight, the blonde haired child had a plan. The elderly man stroked his long white beard before smiling. "Then I, Yuanji may be able to teach the world's new generation yet."
1. Intro

_**The art of Wushu.**_

 _ **Intro: The little fox.**_

* * *

 _ **Keys.**_

 _Emphasized word/narration(every so often)/in-story writing._

 **Martial arts move/style/jutsu/and weapon names.**

" **summon talk."**

" _ **Demon talk/divine talk."**_

" _Thoughts/Telepathy."_

Normal text.

A scene change: page separation lines (Two Horizontal lines back to back)

* * *

" _What is it?" Asked the little fox to a bird perched high in it's nest, "is it fire?" The bird looked at him, singing at it's highest tune the bird followed up._

" _Ashes, ashes, and black snow. Where withered crops grow old, the new land shall grow."_ _It singed before fluttering ti's wings, and flying away. The fox was left to ponder what the bird had sang to it, before moving down the hill._

 _There he saw the forest was indeed ablaze, but an old snake blocked his way. "Hold, none shall pass, this the natural course done at last." The fox tried to desperately pass by the snake only to be stopped. "I said none shall pass, accept the natural flow, and go back home."_

" _How can I go home, if it is burning?" The snake looked with pity upon the fox before hissing once more._

" _You must find a new home, but home isn't just a place it is where the heart allows you to settle."_

* * *

A young blonde hair boy was reading the storybook that he was given on his birthday last year, he closed the book, and walked towards his window. The air was cold, like every winter in the village of Konoha.

The boy watched many men and women walked the streets below him with their children at their backs. But, he for all the wills that the Gods may have, did not have such luck. He was an orphan, of what cause he didn't know.

"I wish I had a mother, or a father..." The boy spoke before walking towards his bed. It was a floor mat, which was torn a little on the side, plus had little bugs crawling all over it. The reason for the many bugs was the fact that right besides him, on the floor, was literal trash.

Ramen cups, soup cans, and various amounts of breadcrumbs. They all laced the floor, currently however the boy was more concerned with the cold. His heating unit had gone out a couple of weeks ago and ever since then the boy has been trying to get the landlord to fix it.

The child laid himself down to sleep, praying to whatever God would listen to him.

* * *

The boy awoke as he felt the morning sun beat down upon him through his window, slowly he got out of the bedroll that covered his body from the floor mat. Slowly he awoke his feet, which had fallen asleep on him.

Slowly he stretched it out as he looked at his tattoo on his stomach, before taking one last sigh and fully rising on both feet. Walking over to his fridge, he found it empty. Sighing the boy heard his stomach groan, he nodded as he thought of way to eat. Slowly, he walked over towards a small closet. Finding a navy blue hoodie inside he put it on without any shirt underneath.

The young lad slowly walked towards the door that would lead out to his apartment. He picked up a key off the kitchen counter and shoved in the middle pocket of the hoodie. He brought the hood part down, so he could keep his ears warm.

He walked towards the door and exited out of it. Making sure to lock only the bottom lock, because his key was only able to unlock that part of the door, and made his way towards the stairs. The blonde made his way down towards the streets.

The streets themselves were full of market stands, debris from trash, and various other people. The boy walked towards a stand, noticing that the owner wasn't watching his products very closely. Quickly the boy looked about, noting that no one was looking he quickly grabbed an apple off the stall.

He began to walk away, fast enough so he wouldn't noticed standing about near any stalls, but slow enough to case out the area today. His stomach still grumbled, even after he had just ate the apple. He looked about before watching someone dump a while plate of food into the trash.

The young boy, even for being as young as he was, cursed. The smell of the orange chicken that had been thrown away proved a little too tempting. So hastily the blonde walked over to the trash, picking up whatever untainted pieces of chicken. He slowly began to eat before hearing other children laugh.

"Look it's him!" A yellow haired girl shouted before pointing her finger at him. The three other children with her just looked over to where the blonde hair boy was eating out of the trash. "Eww and he's eating out of the trash!"

"Man, look at that freak, he's actually enjoying it!" A more animalistic boy stated pointing towards the chicken in the blonde's hands. The blonde just tried to ignore him and continue to eat. However that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

The blonde hair boy sighed, trying to ignore them as he ate the last bits of the chicken. However, before he could shove another piece in his mouth, a older boy among the group slapped the last piece of chicken out of his hand and onto the ground. "Five copper says he'll still eat it, go on freaky boy, eat it!"

The older boy looked like the blonde haired girl, except he had green eyes instead of blue. Pointed towards the ground, "go on, eat it." The blonde haired elder boy demanded. However, the next thing they heard was sniveling. Before they watched as the younger blonde ran away, and disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

The young blonde kept running, until he ran outside of the gate, and fell to his knees inside the snow laced ground. He wailed into the snow as his tears became ice cold, his heart once again tattered by the cruelty of his home.

After all, if home is where the heart lies, why is he even here? What purpose was there for him here, how could he ever be happy. No one spoke to him, out of fear, because he was some sort of an _afflicted_ being.

So in the snow, he cried, and in that snow...his tears turned to ice.


	2. Winter days

_**The art of Wushu.**_

 _ **Chapter one: Winter days**_

* * *

 _ **Keys.**_

 _Emphasized word/narration(every so often)/in-story writing, flashbacks._

 **Martial arts move/style/jutsu/and weapon names.**

" **summon talk."**

" _ **Demon talk/divine talk."**_

" _Thoughts/Telepathy."_

Normal text.

A scene change: page separation lines (Two Horizontal lines back to back)

* * *

.

* * *

" _May I live with you?" The fox asked the hawk, who only sang in laughter._

" _No, for you will threaten my children and my mate. You are a fox be with your own kind, in the forest!" The fox whimpered and walked away, his head hanged low as he past a spider's den. The fox looked at the spider._

" _May I please just stay one night?" The spider was quick to run away._

" _No, you may most certainly not! You are a fox, one of my predators, and my enemy! I refuse to aid you in your time of need, for you would refuse me as well if the tables were turned." The Fox hung his ever lower, almost sulking as he walked away._

 _The fox walked towards a stream where a mighty dragon lay, sunbathing. "May I please, sir dragon, stay the night under your wings?" The Dragon merely laughed at the fox, before roaring at him. The most prideful of the creatures in the world stare the fox dead in the eye._

" _Be with your own kind fox, for you have no place under a dragon, let alone the status to even ask a favor! Begun!" The fox sighed before walking away towards a small burrow, it looked abandoned. Much like his old home was, he missed his parents so._

 _So as he crawled in the burrow, the fox laid his head upon a rock. Wishing one thing, "I want to leave this world..."_

* * *

 _._

* * *

The land of the country of Hi-no-Kuni was buried inside the December snow, it fell in droves upon the ground as the children played within it. All the while, the blonde haired child walked about. His eyes full of sadness and loneliness.

He soon came to a lone swing in the middle of the park, watching as other parents pushed their children upon the local playground's swing set. He held his his low, he had no family, but why was he still here? That question was always repeating in his mind, with the only person coming to mind was the local village leader.

The Hokage himself, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The boy knew the old man was too busy to pay heed to just one villager, so he never fussed, never made a bother about his living conditions. Which had deteriorated over the last few months since winter began, and even more now. For his heating, despite now asking the landlord four weeks ago, still had not been fixed.

The child had a few tears rolling down his eyes as he watched the other children laughed, why would no one talk to him? Why did they make fun of him for eating out of the trash? Why, that question is the meaning to so many things, and yet so very little give full answers to it.

His stomach grumbled, the boy reached down into his hoodie and pulled a red apple out, another of which he had stolen. He slowly took a bite out of it, trying to make it last. His unkempt sun kissed hair flowing as wind blew past him.

He coughed as he swallowed a rather large piece of the apple, but swallowed it without any problem. He didn't want to start choking, because he was afraid, afraid that if he did no one would help him. Was the fear justified? Well, isn't a child living in poverty justified as well?

It wasn't always like this, there was an orphanage just towards the western part of the grand village. West Konoha was a beautiful place, two years ago, the boy lived in a nice little room in an orphanage. However, one day, three men came by with a piece of paper.

The nun then helped him, not even thirty minutes later, pack his stuff for the journey to East Konoha. Where blonde was left in a small apartment room, barely fit for himself, let alone anyone else. His gripped the chains of the swing he was on, before getting up.

He began to walk away, the snow falling hard enough to cover his footsteps. His hair swayed as the villagers that were in the park stared at him, he held his head low as he heard their voices. His hearing strong enough to pick them up, easily enough to feel ashamed.

"Is that the _afflicted_ boy? Why do we ever allow him to stay in our village?" A rather husky villager asked a skinnier woman. The woman chuckled while looking at the boy before turning to the man.

She spoke with a soft voice."because he is loved by The Hokage of all people, a shame really, didn't the man just have a grandchild?" The man nodded before noticing the boy had stopped walking, and just looked a the two.

"Hey brat, what'ya doing?! Are you eavesdropping, well?!" The man yelled at the boy who recoiled, the woman looked at him also with angry eyes.

She spoke with a cold tone of voice, "how dare you child, go home this instant!"

The boy sniffled as he continued his walk, only to get hit by a snowball. It made him fall to the ground, before he heard other children laughing. "Look out freak, jeez, can you duck Naruto!" The blonde hair boy stared at the boy who threw the snowball at him.

Realizing it was the same boy who knocked the chicken out of his hand, the boy whimpered slightly. "Well, come on!" The older boy threw another snowball at him which hit him square in the cheek. "Dodge freak!" The blonde hair boy began to cry as he got back up, he clenched his fists.

"Get outta of here freak!"

"Yeah go home and cry to your mommy! Waaah, waah!"

"Yeah, besides what use will you be anyway in the academy next year, you're just useless!"

Naruto roared out as he charged at the group of boys, he cocked his fist back, and aimed for the tallest and oldest one of the group. "Shut up!" He shouted before throwing the punch, which connected with the older boy's cheek. However, the older boy just rolled his face with it, and slapped Naruto in the face with a reversed palm.

The child fell into the snow once more. "Teach that freak some lessons in respect!" The two others nodded and began to punch and kick the downed child. Naruto screamed out in pain, but no one seemed to stop the beating. Finally left with no choice, he attempted to fight back once more.

Only to get kicked in the stomach by the oldest boy, who shouted at him. "Sit down freak, on the ground where you belong!" Naruto got back up and rushed at them again. This time he got punched in the nose, which broke it across it across his face.

He fell back into the snow, blood slowly dripping from the hit. "D-d-damn it." the young boy muttered, the other children once again started to laugh at him. He slowly got back up, trying to cock his fist back again.

Only to fall back down on his own, he was too dizzy to get back up. "See there, look, the freak can bleed!" The older boy shouted, making Naruto whimper a little bit. He watched as the boy picked something off the ground, the little blonde's eyes widened.

"Hey, give that back!" Naruto shouted, but to his horror the older kid just held his keys up in his face.

"Oh, is this yours? Well..." The older blonde chucked the keys into a nearby tree. "How about you go and fetch them, whiskers." Naruto was now close to sobbing, but he held it in, he watched as the other boys began to leave. Walking away as they cruelly taunted him, one even flipping the bird to the helpless child.

Naruto slowly got up, his eyes burned with rage, but he didn't pursue the children. Instead, though soaking wet from the snow, he walked towards the oak tree that his keys were in. He looked to see that they were hanging on a high tree limb.

Gather his courage Naruto started to try the tree, only to scrape his hands as each time he even made headway, he slid down the sharp bark. After several attempts, the blonde shouted in anger, punching the tree for good measure.

Breathing hard, Naruto punched the tree once more, and again. Again, again, again his fist collided with the hard bark. He screamed out in frustration, before kicking the tree repeatably. "Come seriously, seriously?! Drop. Alrea-dy!" He kept kicking.

Only the key did not drop down, nor did it even budge. "Screw it!" Naruto shouted, only to pick up a ball of snow and launch it at the keys. He watched as they fell down into a pile of snow, sighing he walked over to them.

Picking them up in the snow, he looked at them, letting a loose a breath of relief. _"That was too close._ " He looked over at the footprints in the snow from the other boys, he spat in them, mostly in disgust. _"I hate you..."_ He hissed in his mind, before shoving the keys deep into his hoodie pocket.

The yellow haired _afflicted_ boy slowly walked down a path that would lead into the main streets of Konoha.

* * *

.

* * *

The main streets of Konoha were mainly dirt in the lower districts, mostly the poor district being such an example. The only areas that didn't have a dirty path were the cobblestone layered walkways of the upper class homes, shops, and such. Some middle class shops had themed walkways, only to attract more people in, rather than be useful.

Currently Naruto was in the middle districts, parts of the district were mostly shops, while some mostly homes. Currently Naruto was passing under a small ornament rope that indicated the shopping districts.

In reality, he didn't come here to shop, but just to find a shortcut home. He bumped into a few, rather rude, people along the way towards an alleyway system that led into the lower districts. Naruto was about to cross into the system when he heard a girl scream.

"Help, someone! Please!" Naruto's ears picked up the sound and before he could even give his own better judgment, he ran towards it. He dashed around a few corners in the alley system, before coming across a guy holding a kunai knife at woman.

He held rather unskilled, holding it like a regular knife, instead of the reverse gripping it like ninja. Naruto looked around for a weapon, picking up brick. "Give me your fucking wallet! Don't make me cut you little girl, I'm warning ya!" The girl kept backing away in fear.

"Pl-please don't, I don't have anything on me, I swear!" The man was about to grab her until he heard a yell of a child, only it wasn't a sudden one short span yell, it was a constant...and getting closer. The man jerked around, only to have a blonde head child leap onto him, "take this ya creep!"

The man had little time to react as the blonde collided with him, using his momentum to send them both to the ground, Naruto raised the brick up smashing it once into the man's skull. The man in turn, loopy from blow dropped his knife, a rusty kunai.

Naruto quickly got off the man, kicking him for good measure. He looked at the girl, noting what she looked like, and noting the chocolate brown eyes full of fear. Slowly, the girl herself began to calm down, she looked to see that man was in no condition to get back up.

"Th-a-thank you, oh my God, thank you, thank you!" The girl yelled, looking at the boy she then turned her attention to the man, "and you bastard! She open-cupped her hands over her mouth and yelled once more for someone, this time shouting "Police!" before finally someone came along the way, but to her surprise they stood in protection of the man.

The ninja that had arrived, wore an chunin vest, and he stood at five foot-eight. He had dark brown eyes, and a scarred nose. He probably weighed less than one hundred and twenty. The ninja yelled at the boy, "did you attack these kind people?! Drop the brick, _boy_ , or I'll have have to hurt you!" The man hissed with venom. The girl came running in front of the man holding her arms out.

"Don't, he saved me! That man behind you, he's the one who attacked me! I swear, look at what he has by him!" The ninja turned around to the man, discovering the rusty kunai knife right besides him. "See!" She shouted pointing at the dagger just to the man's side.

The ninja holstered his kunai before shaking his head at Naruto, he walked towards the man and knelt down. He put his hand over his ear before pressing down on a device Naruto could see inside the ninja's ear. "This is Iruka Umino, I have one girl, and one _boy_ here with me. Apparently the man I currently have in custody is the one they claim is the assailant."

The now identified ninja as Iruka looked at Naruto, scrunching his eyes a bit, "okay, I read you. I'll be sure to take the man into the T&I department. What should I do about the _boy_?" Naruto tensed a bit at the question. The ninja in front of him sighed before picking up the man. "Yes sir, I'll be sure to send him on his way."

Iruka looked at the girl, "you may go back to your father miss Ichiraku. _You_ also may leave, but do so in a hurry...otherwise I'll get you on trespassing." Naruto growled a little bit before walking past the ninja. He bowed in respect to the Ichiraku girl, before heading around the corner.

"Why are you being mean to him, mister? He never hurt me, all he did was save me from that guy!" She pointed towards the man hoisted on Iruka's right shoulder. The man just laughed a little bit before walking past her. He crouched down to jump onto a nearby rooftop.

"If you only knew what _he_ was."

* * *

.

* * *

Inside a lavish office, just towards the Northern part of Konoha, Northern Konoha. A man was sitting in his rather plus green office chair, he was currently overlooking the worse enemy any man or woman could face in his position.

Paperwork.

Foreign deals, alliance agreements, trade agreements, mission requests, marriage requests, divorce requests, payments owed, payments due, even a dispute over a recipe of stew. The man behind the decisions, sometimes hilarious sometimes serious, was The Sandaime Hokage. The literal saying of third fire shadow, Hiruzen Sarutobi, a ninja of legend.

The man had white hair, slightly bald, with brown spots on his head. He had a large white goatee, covering up his entire chin, and his face showed his age. On his desk was pictures of his infant Grandson, along with his predecessors. Hashirama Senju, The Shodaime Hokage, and founder of the village of Konoha. Then there was his former mentor, Tobirama Senju, the very who made the village's foundation. Economically, politically, and even industrially.

The economical portion came with the village actually coming together, building their houses, stores, and such. The political aspect was when he brought together several powerful clans. The Hyuuga, The Uchiha, The Inuzuka, The Akamichi, The Yamanaka, The Nara, along with the mysterious Aburame. A political stroke of genius, gathering clans renowned for their abilities.

It all came down to however, war. War was battled between Konoha and Iwa, two rival nations that always held a grudge for each other. Madara Uchiha didn't help in the spiteful nature of the diplomacy, having started The First Great War. The Second Great War was bred out of former hatred, and it all started with the invention of one thing.

Jinchuuriki.

The Jinchuuriki were a human weapon, created to house contain Bijuu, monsters of pure chakra and life energy. Many of them were chosen from ruling families or prestige clans. All in order to ensure the loyalty of the living weapons.

Ironically, the very first Jinchuuriki wasn't classified as such until after the word was invented. The only wife of Hashirama Senju, Mito Uzumaki. The matter remains however, she had a special seal that fully sealed the powers of her Bijuu. The legendary Kitsune no Kyuubi.

The way many had envisioned their Jinchuuriki was simple, a loosen seal, just strong enough to hold it. Loose enough unleash the power of a Chief Familiar across an entire battlefield.

These humans that were chosen, were usual children. Around the oldest being five years old, so their chakra network could develop to handle that of the Bijuu's they held. However, it wasn't always sunshine and rainbows once was selected.

Many times, though sealed, The Bijuu had tendency to fight back. Some actually succeeding, breaking and killing the Jinchuuriki that held them. Only to be captured once more, and the cycle to continue unto death.

This brought The Hokage's attention to one such Jinchuuriki, in fact his surrogate grandson. Uzumaki Naruto.

In the elder's eyes, he wasn't a ruffian, or some sort of riffraff that many of the village's poor district had. He wasn't a troublemaker, or he wasn't always the one to start the fights, however just like his mother...he did have a bit of a tongue.

The Hokage was furious when he found out the boy was being kicked out of the orphanage. Apparently some local noblemen promised them a bounty of donations if they did so, and unfortunately...Hiruzen couldn't stop it.

Under law, the orphanage wasn't exactly in the wrong, it was destitute over the years. So to get money, they had to give something in return, a honest trade. Unfortunately, this meant that Naruto had to be kicked out, but luckily Hiruzen managed to find an apartment complex for the boy.

Being that the current funds were tight, it wasn't the best in the world, but it'd have to do. He always taught the boy on each visit that he must endure hardship, for it was the way of the Shinobi. The Hokage himself wished that more could be done, but how could he?

Hundreds of thousands went into the ninja system, so the village could have a decent military pay. Ninja in Konoha were always paid well, mission, and pension wise. Many of them didn't have to take another profession to meet ends meet. Which in turn made ninja in Konoha more effective in battle, since they got paid to train, paid to do well.

With the bonus being high level B and A rank missions.

Right now actually the old man was placing orders for such missions, signing off for teams to go on them. Many of these missions always involved the possibility of death, which is why in the past it was mainly held off from Genin, Chunin, and even sometimes Special Jonin.

These thoughts floated in The Hokage's head, that was the past, before The Kyuubi's rampage.

Genin now were being forced to do high level missions, Jonin were stressed to the limit, and many ninja often got injured during missions. So the balance was very limited between outgoing ninja, and the deterrence force to be kept in the village.

Which was now, of all times, an A rank mission of high importance came up. The only team he had available was that Kabuto, and his Genin comrades. The boy didn't sit well with Hiruzen never as, but now...it was desperate times.

So with a stroke of the pen, he signed off on the mission.

The man watched the ink dry, before taking out his tobacco pipe. A knock at the door made The Hokage go on edge, he didn't have an appointment this late at night, however he hollered at the door. "Enter!"

The door slowly opened to reveal an old face, clad in monks clothing. "Aw Hiruzen-san, still croaking?" The equally elderly man asked, Hiruzen cracked a smile.

"Aw Yuanji-senpai, seems that your still flapping your wings." The elderly monk chuckled before taking a seat. He looked around the office before chuckling.

With a sigh he looked at the old man, "Huo-sama has passed away, and I've come to ask for several proficient users of the fire element on short notice." The Hokage took a long drag of his pipe before blowing out the smoke from the corner of his lip.

"So the old head master of The Fire Temple has passed, rather unfortunately timed as well. I've little to spare in adept users of the element for the funeral rituals that precede this occurrence...I could offer Genin." Yuanji nodded before rubbing a tattoo on his right wrist.

The monk himself had white long hair, and one large white goatee, much like Hiruzen. Except he had light gray eyes, almost as if they were blind, and a large scar running of his left cheek. He also spoke with a raspy voice, unlike the clear voice of Hiruzen. "If that is what you can spare, I suppose it'll have to do. Tea?"

The Hokage nodded, moving his papers off the desk. The monk slammed his hand onto the table, summoning a teapot, which made the tattoo on his wrist glow. The tea was hot and almost boiling. "It is herbal tea, made with Hengo Root. Reputed to give one energy and clarity." The monk explained before sipping on some himself.

"Can you really judge tea however, as long as it fills the soul?" Yuanji stated behind his explanation of the tea while sipping on some more. "Is it to your liking?" asked the elderly monk, who stroked his beard as he gently laid the cup down.

Suddenly, the sounds of steps could be heard, and two Chunin came through the door. "Oi, there's that bastard!" They said pointing at Yuanji, who happened to almost spit his tea up in laughter, Hiruzen on the other hand wasn't taking this interruption lightly.

"Kotetsu, Izumo, what is the meaning of this?!" Hiruzen shouted as they looked to see that the man they had called a bastard was now currently drinking tea with their Lord.

"Hokage-sama, that man right there, whoever he is refused to show identification. Saying that he is a monk from The Fire Temple!" Izumo stated while pointing at the accused man, before Kotetsu jumped in.

"Yes, and when we tried to stop him, he attacked both of us. Using some sort of taijutsu style that left us unable to move!" Kotetsu shook, "and he resisted detainment!"

Hiruzen looked at Yuanji, who just shrugged, "what can I say Hiruzen-san. I tend to get into these messes a lot." The old Kage nodded before looking at Kotetsu and Izumo.

"You two are to report back to your posts, this man is Yuanji, a monk from The Fire Temple and an old friend. Though, I'll have a talk with him about his next course of actions for when he comes into the village...next time." Kotetsu and Izumo groaned, with Izumo holding his nose.

He then decided to complain a little bit, so he could try to get an apology out of the monk. "He broke my nose, can I please have apology for that?" Izumo asked, Hiruzen looked at him before shrugging and turning to Yuanji who chuckled.

"I apologize for making your face better than a monkey's buttocks." Izumo almost hit the floor with the statement, making Hiruzen...and even Kotetsu laugh a little. The man gathered his bearings and glared a the monk. "What? What do you think, Kotetsu was it?"

Izumo turned to Kotetsu who nervously laughed. "Well...he's not lying, you do look better."

"Oh screw you Kotetsu! You just happened to be lucky and dodge at the last frigging second! I mean look at me, and I had a date tomorrow!" Izumo cried out, Kotetsu looked at the Hokage, before smiling.

"Oh come on, women like injured men, gives them something to laugh about one day."

"Oh in the hell is that even funny?"

"You could end up like Ibiki-kun."

* * *

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* * *

Elsewhere in Konoha's T&I department, a man with a bandanna over his head was looking at his next lucky winner. A man who had been caught trying to breach the gates of Konoha, he looked at the man, strapping on some leather gloves. "I'll give you one chan-aahchhoo!" Ibiki Morino sniffed slightly after sneezing.

" _I-is someone actually saying something about me?"_

* * *

 _._

* * *

"Okay...that was a low blow." Kotetsu raised his hands up in defense, "and I am surrounded by morons."

"Ahem..." He heard the Hokage cough, "might you be doing something I told you BOTH to do. After all, if so much as a bug walks into the gate I'll have BOTH of you on Tora duty for the next four weeks!" The duo paled at the thought of such a duty.

They both left immediately.

Yuanji looked at The Hokage, "what is this Tora?"

"You see Tora is this cat-thing that was born in hell, she's the bane of all Genin and Chunin alike. Most certainly Kotetsu-chan, and Izumo-chan hate that thing." Yuanji sighed, "oh no, don't you dare explain to me that all living things are precious...this one is a demon. I swear it!"

Yuanji just raised his hands up, much like the young men did a few moments ago, "I, in that case, don't need to know. However, it is getting late, I am sure you must have something to retire to for tonight. I'll shall take my leave, keep the teapot, it's a gift from The Temple."

The Hokage nodded, watching as the monk walked out of the room. He looked about before opening the teapot, pouring hot tea into a plant he kept near his desk. He then reached under his desk, doing a few hand seals, until a small puff of smoke filled the underside of his desk.

There, on the bottom was a case of sake. _"Tsuande-chan, you sort of have the right idea some days. In this day in particular, I can only quote one clan you hated so much...troublesome."_

* * *

 _._

* * *

Yuanji was busy walking towards his hotel. He had booked a room on his way to see Hiruzen, and it was at the lower end of the districts. There he came across several people, some sick, others looking troubled.

So he did his natural duties as a monk, blessing those said people, gathering them for some prayer. Soon as he was done, he continued to make his way to his temporary home. Only he saw a small blonde haired boy sitting on the steps of an apartment complex.

He noticed the sad look on his face, the soft shallow breathing of the boy, along with some stains on his clothing. He walked towards the boy, "hello." He said once he stood in front of the blonde haired boy, the said boy looked up at him.

"H-h-h-hi, can I help you?" The boy asked, "was I doing something wrong?"

The monk chuckled, "no my boy, just coming to see why you were sitting out alone. You know its too cold for a little boy like you to be out." The boy nodded, a streetlamp showing his bruised face to the monk. Yuanji looked at him, letting out a saddened sigh, he look towards the moon.

It was full out tonight.

"What's your name?"

"N-Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto."

"Oh? I am Yuanji, since I am a monk of The Fire Temple, I hold no surname."

"M-monk?"

"You know, people of prayer."

"I g-guess."

Yuanji chuckled slightly, "you don't talk much do you?" Naruto nodded his head, the man smiled a little bit before rubbing his spiky blonde hair. The action made Naruto inwardly smile, with a faint smirk forming on his lips. "Well child, run along inside to your mother. She must be worried sick."

Naruto watched as Yuanji got up, walking away, his faint smirk falling soon afterwards. _"I wish I had a mother."_


	3. The forest

_**The art of Wushu.**_

 _ **Chapter two: The forest.**_

* * *

 _ **Keys.**_

 _Emphasized word/narration(every so often)/in-story writing, flashbacks._

 **Martial arts move/style/jutsu/and weapon names.**

" **summon talk."**

" _ **Demon talk/divine talk."**_

" _Thoughts/Telepathy."_

Normal text.

A scene change: page separation lines (Two Horizontal lines back to back)

 _There is going to be a vote soon, anyway it's about the pairing for this story. So I'll give you all the skinny, as many of you who follow me know. I am one, if not, thee biggest Naruto x Fuu fan ever. However, since I already have a...few...stories dedicated to the pairing. I'll be putting this story up for a vote._

 _Anyway, for those who want Hinata, I'm sorry it's not going to happen. I mean, lets be honest, how can I be creative? She's got him in the actual canon, so it's not easy to write for her anymore and plus it's full of cliches._

 _I'm trying to break away from that with this. Especially with the format I am using to write the story._

 _So, here is your pairing choices (no harems) voting closes 8/24/2015_

 _Fuu_

 _Tayuya_

 _Tenten_

 _Ayame (she'll be AU, making her a little younger. About four years older than Naruto.)_

 _Shion_

 _Samui (she'll be AU, since she's well above Naruto's age.)_

 _Karui_

 _Amaru (I'll find a way, love always does...hahah.)_

 _Female Haku_

 _I'm trying to keep the girls around his age, and no actual progress would be made until later in the story (like after the graduation arc) so, whose ready?!_

 _Chapter starts...NOW!_

* * *

 _f_

* * *

 _The little fox was hungry, when an owl saw it. "Hello!" the owl hollered, "why are you without your kin?" the fox looked down, unable to answer the owl. It's fur was manged, it's stomach shallow, and it's eyes poor._

" _Oh poor little one, I'll shall be back." The owl flapped it's wings, soon it had indeed came back. In it's mouth was a few mice. The fox watched as the mice were dropped to it, slowly the vote began to eat._

 _The fox looked at the owl, "th-thank you." the young vulpine said in gratitude. He soon finished the mice, and laid his head down. The fox then felt the presence of the owl, it held a bucket of water, and looked a the fox._

" _Noble creatures such as ourselves, deserve nothing less than cleanliness above all else." The owl dipped it's wing into the bucket, and walked over to the fox. It flapped and slapped it's wings gently on the fox. Wetting it's fur._

 _Overt time, the gunk that laced the fox's fur, slowly came off. "Y-y-you are too kind." The fox said, now feeling clean. The owl looked at him, smiling as it would seem._

" _No one should be alone, even in these troubled times."_

* * *

Naruto was shivering, making his way towards a shop that had a sign saying _"HELP WANTED!"_ Naruto entered it, only to promptly laughed at and told to leave and never come back. The shop was a weapons shop, which was where tools were made for ninja. The man inside, a man named Tetsu Hagashi, merely scolded the child for entering his store uninvited and kicked him out.

Naruto watched closely, however, two more boys enter the shop. Neither one of them being kicked out, clenching his fist the blonde held back tears forming in his eyes. He looked around, it had been three weeks since the meeting with The Monk named Yuanji.

The little blonde hadn't since had contact that resulted in a pleasant exchange of words. Instead he got glares as he walked down the street, noticing all the new ornaments adorning the street's wiring, he only cursed.

It was Rinne, the supposed happiest time of year for families.

But, for those who didn't have a family, what was it? Naruto watched through the gates of the old inner village orphanage, where he used to stay, and watched as nuns helped children along. Even giving gifts to the children, only making the boy clench his fists further, until his nails dug into his skin.

Small, little, pinpricks of blood dropped into the snow. He felt like sobbing, he never got gifts, save the book he was currently reading, and the apartment he got otherwise he'd been on the streets. Not one person, other than The Hokage and the monk show him kindness.

The boy tucked both hands inside his hoodie pocket, beginning another long walk away from the orphanage. He did this for the last two years, always coming back, hoping one of the nuns would notice him and let him back in.

Anytime he would stand at the gates the nuns would just quickly look at him, before looking away.

It filled Naruto with rage, how could they?! How could they just look away, the same people who probably held as a baby. Letting out a frustrated sigh, the child just looked at the sky, it had begun to snow again. The winds began to pick up as Naruto walked towards the outer parts of inner village. Passing several clan shops, and restaurants.

Lightly bumping into people as he passed them, all of them glaring at him. They never spoke the words, but he could feel them, their hatred of him. He hated himself, because he lacked a voice, a voice to scream out to them to stop. What point would it be, it would be a scream in a lake of water, only drowning you more...

He could feel something in the back of his mind, a whisper. It sounded hoarse, as if trying to cling to what little bit of life it had left, _**"why.."**_ it wasn't a question, more of a weak demand. Naruto couldn't answer it back, no matter how hard he wanted to.

The why, he knew why. Why did he put up with the villagers, why did he stay here, and why did always never bothered to ask for help? Simple. He had no where else to go, they were there like it or not, and because he was just one person in a sea of thousands.

What did he matter?

After all, he was just a small leaf floating among the thousands that swirled within the wind.

A small, nearly dead, blonde leaf. Slowly, the boy just let a few tear drops from his eyes fall from the ground, he looked around, noting how people didn't even pay him no heed, just stare at him. He kept his head down, who was he to look upon the all so _glorious_ villagers.

How could he?

Depression, loneliness, deprivation, realization. Those are the rules of sadness, the stages one follows. The first step, depression, occurs early on. Usually a warning sign that a person feels unwanted, uncared for. The loneliness sets afterwards, once that happens, the person seeks no help, and then deprivation of human emotions.

The ability to fight back, the ability to even speak ones own mind, without fear of harming someone close to them. Realization, the realization hits that maybe it was better to just be alone. In a world where even friends betray you, do you really thing being important is any different?

Uzumaki Naruto had been through all these stages, it seemed as though there was digging out of it. Anytime he tried too hard, he was just shoved back into a pit of loneliness. So in the end, what was point, how could he even look at himself with pride?

What pride?

Naruto had his head in all of these thoughts, failing to notice a piece of ice on the street. His foot caught it, making him stumble forwards into a woman carrying groceries. The brown bags were thrown from her arms when Naruto impacted her, her eyes turned to the child.

She had long black curly hair, with red eyes. "Hey watch it brat!" The woman shouted, the boy recoiled. Trying to pick up some of her groceries.

"S-s-sorry miss, really I am." Naruto stated, handing her a few of the items. Mainly eggs, and milk that she dropped. She huffed, snatching the food away from him. The woman didn't notice the look Naruto had under his hoodie.

She began to walk away, not even saying thank you. Naruto clenched his fist, before feeling something bubble up inside of himself. _**"At least...say thank you..."**_ Naruto's eyes, mainly his pupils, narrowed vertically, almost becoming fox like before snapping back into a round a shape.

"How about you at least say thank you! Idiot!" Naruto shouted, only to have his head hit by an tomato thrown by a stall clerk on the other side of the road. The fruit splattering against his hoodie.

Suddenly several villagers gathered around the boy, "how about speak more respectfully to the woman brat. She's a ninja! You attacking a ninja warrants a beating boy!" A man said cracking his knuckles.

"Yeah, besides, look at you. Probably trying to steal from the poor woman, fucking street urchin!"

"Why don't you just crawl in a hole somewhere!"

"Stupid brat!"

"Thief!"

"Shut up!" Naruto roared out, "one day I'll be Hokage and you'll be sorry! All of you will! I hate you all, every one of you!" The boy then ran as fast possible.

"Boo!" The crowd chanted, throwing tomato and other fruit at the child. Several ninja came in to disperse the crowd, but the boy had already ran, crying all the while. However, one woman, the same woman he bumped into had a look of shame on her face.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, before walking away.

* * *

o

* * *

Naruto kept running, tears flowing down his eyes, passing over a few fences. The boy arrived at a very large gate, which he easily jumped over. The boy ended up in the middle of a forest, surrounded by trees, very large trees.

Naruto threw a rock at one of the trees, "stupid! Idiots, I hate them!" Naruto shouted. He picked up another rock, "why won't they say hi to me, why won't they smile at me! What did I do wrong, what is wrong with me?!"

The young child just kicked the ground, making snow spray out in several direction from his foot. He then just sat down, curling himself into upwards ball. Knees bent to his chest, and sobbing. The boy continued cry, choking some words, "I...wanna...better home." the boy choked out.

He looked at the trees, they were so tall, obscuring most of the light that entered the forest. Naruto didn't want to get up, he just wanted to fade away. He saw several old rusted kunai, slowly almost dead like, the boy got up.

Naruto walked towards them, picking up one that laid across the ground, his eyes lacked little life in them. His soul was crestfallen in nature, so when he held the cold rusted iron in his hands. His minds drifted, so did his hand, just hanging above his wrist.

" _No one will miss me, Jiji...I'm sorry."_

Naruto was about to pull the kunai across his wrist, when he felt a hand grabbed him. "So that's it then, you let someone's bigot nature get the better of you, and you...crack and give up?" Naruto recognized the voice, and turned to see Yuanji.

The young child dropped the kunai, life slowly returning to his eyes. "What's it to you anyway? I don't have anyone here that truly cares about me...The Hokage would be better off without me." Yuanji just chuckled.

His face then became disturbingly serious for a monk, before he pulled his hand back, and then slammed it across the child's face. "You think you don't matter? You think your life is forfeited?! You are a child, who has yet to see the face value of himself, and the real value of his soul. Only then you can truly say you're forfeited!" Naruto feeling anger burn inside him, picked himself up off the ground.

Launching his balled up fist at the man, Naruto expected it to hit him, however the man just merely sidestepped him. Dripping him in the process, "come on boy. You know it is rude to attack an old man, and bad luck to attack a monk don't you?" Yuanji joked. However, something peeked his interest, he watched as the boy recovered from his stumble.

Naruto just growled, just near was a rusted kunai. The boy had a poorly thought plan, but here was this old man. Yuanji, not berating him, not _directly_ insulting him. Almost as if he was jokingly chastising him. "So...are you giving up, I'll leave you alone if you make one good punch." Yuanji pointed at his stomach, "right here."

Naruto roared as he charged at the old monk, who merely sidestepped him again. However, the monk's eyes narrowed when Naruto launched a mule kick. The man jumped back, avoiding the attack. The blonde turned back around, and charged. "Hold still!"

"Nope..."

"Graah!"

"Nu-huh."

"Raargghh!"

"Too slow."

"Grraaggh!"

"Not quick enough."

Naruto felt himself catch the man's foot, tripping into the snow. With a heavy thud, Naruto landed face first into the pure white powder. Yuanji chuckled as he got back up, "give up?" Naruto eyes widened at the word, before he growled as he got up.

He didn't announce his charge this time, just ran cocking his fist back. Missing Yuanji by a mile still, but the monk watched as the boy began to focus. Almost catching him at a point, that's when the monk's eyes widen. He had gotten careless, walking backwards to avoid the punches ran him into an object, a giant tree. "I'll never give up! I'll keep trying! I'll keep fighting! Graaah!" Yuanji saw the punch coming.

He used his forearm, channeling a small amount chakra into his palm. As he deflected Naruto's punch, he gently pushed the palm into Naruto, which made the boy slide back. Naruto look bewildered for a moment, before shaking it off and charging once more.

Yuanji caught the boy's fist, before allowing it slowly tap his stomach. Naruto looked at the man stunned. The elderly man stroked his long white beard before smiling. "then I Yuanji may be able to teach the world's new generation yet." Naruto faltered before backing off the man. The elderly man sighed, before he watched the back into a clearing with sunlight illuminating his face.

The elderly man frowned a little, "are you scared of me?" Naruto shook his head before clenching his fists. The blonde pointed at the man.

"How!" Naruto demanded, "how did you do that?!"

"Oh, where I pushed you? Well, kid, it goes like this. I just used my mind." Naruto almost blanched but kept his composure, "and chakra was a big fact. I used very little so it wouldn't hurt you." Naruto eyes widened a little bit.

"You mean chakra, as in the stuff that makes me jump really high?" Naruto asked, jumping up and down for effect. The monk eyes widened a little bit, before he smirked _._

" _To think that Konoha's villagers would throw someone with this much potential aside, though his emotions cloud his judgment. Maybe...yeah, why not, what's the worse answer I could get?"_

* * *

 _x_

* * *

"Are you out of your bloody mind?!" Hiruzen demanded, "how could you ever propose such an poorly thought out plan as this?!" The Hokage shouted as he rose from his chair, overlooking Yuanji. Who innocently hailed up his hands, before chuckling.

"Come now Hiruzen-senpai. It's not that bad of a proposal. Three years inside the academy, to learn the basics, and I'll take him under my wing. What's so bad about that?"

"Everything! Naruto is not just any normal villager to me, is my surrogate grandson!"

"Then if you would allow me, then I could train him inside the ways of Wushu. He'll have a leg up on any ninja in hand to hand combat."

"It is out of the question Yuanji-san, out of it!"

Hiruzen took a seat back in his faithful chair. He was breathing hard from the yelling he had just done. "Easy now Elder-senpai, don't croak on us just yet." The Kage groaned, the joke being tossed at him from a man around his age, he didn't to yell or laugh at the jab.

"Be it as it may Yuanji-san, the boy has already been promised a master. That man being Jiraiya once he comes of age."

"Hiruzen-senpai, the villagers are not healthy for him, nor is this village. I caught him sobbing in The Forest Of Death, I even watched as a ninja of yours, one with red eyes and curly black hair, insult him."

"Really now...that is new information the villagers failed to share with me. I know who she is, and I assure you...I'll have a _talk_ with her about her behavior. After all, if it wasn't for the Ichiraku family giving an entirely, more realistic story, I was afraid Naruto may have slipped."

"Slipped...Hiruzen-senpai, surely you do not wish that to happen? I do not see the problem here, Jiraiya-senpai can have the boy when he is of age. I merely wish for him to have a leg up."

"Where would you take him, The Fire Temple wouldn't take him in...not with his _condition_."

"I would take him to the local villages, allow the boy some sense of normality."

"By local, you mean where?"

" Cha no Kuni, Komugi no kuni, Hi no Tani."

"They're...in a reasonable distance, but I would need to assign a member of the Anbu to your group."

"No need, I am more than capable, even in my elderly age."

"Be it as it may, I will still send a Anbu out with you."

Yuanji sighed in defeat, "very well, I shall accept those terms. When the boy turns ten, his final year of academy will be trained under me. Until then, I will soon have to make my leave back to the temple. I have to consult with Chiruku on this matter as well." The Hokage nodded.

Getting up from his seat, the elderly Kage took the elderly monk's hands. "Go with peace Yuanji-san."

Hiruzen watched as the monk left, taking a stressed sigh of breath, The Hokage only could frown. Had Yuanji been right, is this village really the best thing for Naruto? In that matter, he had one more thing to do. He looked to his right, an Anbu captain with long brown hair and chocolate eyes inside of an hawk mask nodded.

"Yes Hokage-sama?"

"Retrieve Kurenai Yuhi, at once."

"Yes Hokage-sama."

The Hokage watched as the man disappeared in a dash of high speed, the resulting gust of the said speed made papers flutter everywhere. The Hokage just slammed his head on his table, "four hours...four hours of hard work. Tenzooooooooooooo!"

* * *

.

* * *

Naruto woke up the next day, bright and early as usual. The boy walked towards his _kitchen_ and discovered a note left on the table. The boy picked it up, before having a slowly creeping happy look adorn his face as he read it.

" _Dear Naruto._

 _It has come to my attention that someone has come to hurt you inside my village. I have dealt with them accordingly, do not fret at home, for no physical harm came to anyone. I give to you for Rinne extra rent money, so you can afford to go somewhere nice."_

As he continued to read it, the boy noticed that letter had The Hokage's seal on it.

" _There is a Ramen stand inside the market district, it is named Ichiraku Ramen. Inside the wad of money that will appear as you brush the drawing with your fingers, will be three free coupons for two bowls of Ramen each. Use them wisely._

 _Hiruzen Sarutobi, The Sandaime Hokage._

 _Happy Rinne."_

Naruto brushed his fingers on the drawing, a small puff of smoke appeared with a handful of cash appearing out of it. The boy noticed new set of clothing, a red shirt with red sweatpants, and an orange hoodie. Along with another letter.

Naruto opened it, noticing the name _Yuanji_ on the bottom.

" _Uzumaki Naruto._

 _This is a gift for you, please do not wear the blue hoodie all the time. May The Gods bless you young child, be happy this Rinne._

 _-Yuanji."_

Naruto brought the clothing closer to his chest, and almost hugged it. As if he was hugging the person who had gave it to him.


End file.
